Harassment and unlawful eviction

To end a tenancy, your landlord must follow a formal legal process to recover possession of their property.

They will have to serve a written notice on you. They must then get permission from a court if you have not left by the date of the notice. If the landlord gets permission, the actual eviction must be done by Court Officers, not the landlord or their agents.

If your landlord tries to physically remove you from the property without a court’s permission, they are committing a criminal offence.

Harassment can be anything a landlord does, or fails to do, that makes you feel unsafe in the property or forces you to leave. It is a crime if your landlord harasses you or asks anyone on their behalf to harass you. Harassment can include:

• stopping services like electricity
• withholding keys
• opening your post or throwing out your belongings
• physical violence or threats of physical violence

More information on harassment and unlawful eviction can be found on the website Shelter: How to deal with harassment from landlords or agents

If you think you are being harassed or forced from your home then contact the Housing Standards Team on 01332 640764 or email housing.standards@derby.gov.uk

If the landlord is being violent towards you, contact the police immediately on 999.